NEW DEPRESSION TREATMENT

The reason I have included this story in my blog today is, this blog is about WELL BEING and not totally devoted to psychic subjects and Wicca and the spiritual aspects of our lives. I believe well being and beauty come from within therefore I take the Holistic approach.

I have been saying for years that there is no shame to suffering from depression for too long this complaint has a stigma and their are many causes BUT what is clear depression is no different from suffering any other physical ailment, such as diabetes, thyroid toxicosis etc. where there is a hormonal/chemical imbalance as this article below demonstrates. 

For those who suffer depression, it is not all in your mind and it is also down right cruel to have someone tell you to pull yourself together, its akin to have someone tell someone with a broken leg to shut up and heal the leg yourself.

I am all for more research into this field, we don't know enough about the complexities of the brain but what is coming out of research so far is this: "ITS NOT ALL IN THE MIND". So if I can publicise and enlighten a few more ignorant people about depression I will do.

The nasal spray that can tackle depression in just two hours

Some of the chemicals in the nose spray are thought to be involved in how the brain regulates behaviour and mood

A nasal spray could be a new way to tackle depression and anxiety.
The spray, based on a natural brain chemical, could be effective within two hours, compared to several days for some of the most widely used antidepressant drugs.
The liquid is released at the top of the nose and is designed to penetrate the brain areas involved in mood.
A clinical trial is now under way looking at the feasibility of the treatment.
Researchers say future studies could look at the effects of the brain chemical in patients with other psychiatric disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
It is estimated that one in four women and one in ten men will require treatment for depression at some time in their lives.
One of the downsides of antidepressant pills is that they can take a long time to work — between two and eight weeks.
In a new trial at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, researchers are investigating the use of a nose spray containing a brain chemical called neuropeptide.
These are chemicals used by nerve cells in the brain to communicate with each other.
Some of the chemicals, and one in particular — neuropeptide Y — is thought to be involved in how the brain regulates behaviour and mood.
This compound is the most abundant peptide in the human brain, and is found in nerve fibres alongside another chemical called norepinephrine, which is thought to be involved in regulating mood and anxiety.
Previous research has also shown that stress leads to the release of the chemical, and a recent study by University of Michigan researchers, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, found that people who have a genetic predisposition to have low neuropeptide levels may be at higher risk of developing depression.

It is estimated that one in four women and one in ten men will require treatment for depression at some time in their lives

But though research has suggested neuropeptide Y may be effective for treating psychiatric disorders, there have been problems in moving the compound into the brain. This is mainly because it is a large molecule, and has difficulty passing through the blood-brain barrier which protects the brain from potentially harmful compounds in the blood.
However, nasal sprays can overcome this problem.
The upper part of the nose is like a back door into the brain because the nerves involved in smell provide a pathway straight into the central nervous system.
The new trial, which involves 15 volunteers aged 25 to 45, is designed to investigate how well the spray and neuropeptide Y work in the brain, and the effects will be compared with a placebo.
Researchers, who expect results in about two months, use an extra-powerful device to get the liquid as high as possible in the nose, into the area at the very top which is rich in nerves used for detecting smells.
Commenting on the research, a spokesperson from mental health charity Mind says: ‘This research is at an early stage and it remains to be seen whether this trial will lead to a new treatment.
‘It is important to recognise that alternative approaches to antidepressants, such as talking therapies and exercise, can also have positive results.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1380588/The-nasal-spray-tackle-depression-just-hours.html#ixzz1KcWm2NIH

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